This was the most enjoyable camping ground we had yet come to. It was also the hottest place we had hitherto found, for the temperature at 2 p.m. to-day was 105° Fah. in the shade. During such hot weather a bath was of course a most delicious thing to indulge in, but I must say I did so with some trepidation, as the pool in front of us was frequented by some good-sized crocodiles whom it was as well not to trifle with. I therefore contented myself, as a rule, with lying down in the water on the edge where it was shallow. When feeling inclined for a plunge and swim I invariably adopted the preliminary caution of hurling in several big stones; on these occasions I was sufficiently discreet not to remain long in the water, having conceived a very wholesome objection to furnishing any of these scaly monsters with such a repast as a Williams. The water was quite tepid, of course from the great heat. This place is called Omhagger, not far from the village of Ombrager.
CHAPTER XXI.
A BOA-CONSTRICTOR VISITS US—THE BURTON BOAT—MOUSSA’s BEHAVIOUR ENTAILS A THRASHING AND HIS DISCHARGE—GREAT HEAT—A FINE HIPPOPOTAMUS KILLED—HAMRAN FEAST—THE WHITE ANTS—ANOTHER HIPPOPOTAMUS KILLED—MAHOMET SALI BRINGS SUPPLIES—NATIVE MUSIC IN THE NIGHT—DELICATE HINTS CONVEYED TO THE PERFORMER—A REMARKABLY FINE NELLUT SHOT—ARAB AND EGYPTIAN TAXATION—BABOONS—A HAMRAN STORY—ALI BITTEN BY A SCORPION—ON THE MARCH ONCE MORE—ROUGH JOURNEYS.
In the evening, whilst George and Anselmia, our two European servants, were dining by their tent, George called out, “A snake, a snake.” A little terrier, named “Tartar” (which Mr. W. D. James had brought from England) began barking furiously, whilst we sallied forth with anything we could lay our hands on—Mr. Phillipps and I each with a spear, Mr. Colvin with an Abyssinian sword—darted off, just in time to see a great boa-constrictor gliding through the grass and into some thorny bushes where we could not pursue him.
George said, “I heard something hissing,” and said to Anselmia, “What the devil is that?” looked round and saw an enormous snake about a yard off in the tree behind me, hissing away, with head up. I was off in quick sticks. Last night a lion came so close to my tent, and made such a noise that he woke us all up, and produced quite a stampede amongst the horses and camels. Some of the natives sleeping just outside my tent threw firebrands at him. Unfortunately the moonlight was wanting at the time or we might, perhaps, have bagged him.
Two tetél, four ariel, and several birds were shot to-day.
March 15th.—Hyænas were rather noisy last night, but I have never known them so troublesome anywhere as at Kassala. The heat to-day was 106° in the shade—so far the hottest day I ever experienced. Of course the Burton boat is in frequent use now. To-day, whilst quietly punting about near the bushes with my gun laid across the seat, I observed some beautiful and strange birds. I quietly seized my gun, and found the barrel so excessively hot that I positively could not hold it until I wrapped my pocket-handkerchief round it. I succeeded in bagging two fine spotted giant king-fishers. This morning Moussa, a mischievous young rascal, whom we had brought with us from Kassala, was severely thrashed with the coorbatch, then sent away with our head camel-man (who was going for dhurra) to the Sheik at Ombrager, to be forwarded on to Kassala. It seems that he had quarrelled with Idrees, a native servant from Keren; then, whilst struggling together, he whipped out a pair of scissors and with it snipped out several bits of flesh from his arms and chest. This was not his first offence, for on the 13th he received 20 lashes of the coorbatch. Then he laid himself down at once, face downwards, and took it without flinching; to-day he got it severely, and yelled most vigorously. His offence on the former occasion was this: Whilst Sali was running to camp, rifle in hand, this impudent young scamp struggled with him for the possession of it (this was just after dark). In the struggle the rifle went off, and might have lodged a bullet in Sali or anyone in camp. Unfortunately the coorbatch is the only remedy for these natives—the only way of keeping up discipline. If treated with kindness and forbearance they think we are getting lax and easy, will at once take advantage of it, skulk about and do nothing, but the coorbatch at once brings them to reason.
Mr. A. James found a man’s skull to-day, also a gigantic tortoise shell. Mr. Phillipps angled and caught an enormous gamout, weighing 31 lbs. Two ariel, a nellut, and calf buffalo were shot.